Officers in fatal S.J. shooting identified

Sunday

Mar 3, 2013 at 12:01 AM

STOCKTON - Authorities on Saturday released the names of the law enforcement officials involved in the fatal shooting of a burglary suspect who allegedly tried to run the officers over in a stolen Mercedes.

Jason Anderson

STOCKTON - Authorities on Saturday released the names of the law enforcement officials involved in the fatal shooting of a burglary suspect who allegedly tried to run the officers over in a stolen Mercedes.

The officers who shot Gary Hawkins, a 33-year-old Stockton resident, were identified as Officer Houston Sensabaugh of the Stockton Police Department and Deputy Nicholas Taiariol of the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office, said Deputy Les Garcia, a spokesman for the Sheriff's Office.

Both were placed on paid administrative leave and have since returned to duty, Garcia said.

According to authorities, Hawkins was driving the stolen Mercedes in the 200 block of South Adelbert Avenue on Feb. 23 when members of the multiagency San Joaquin County gang task stopped the vehicle, which was believed to have been involved in an earlier burglary.

As officers approached the car, Hawkins put the vehicle in reverse and accelerated, trying to hit them, authorities said.

Sensabaugh and Taiariol opened fire, wounding Hawkins.

When Hawkins was pulled from the car, officers found a loaded handgun in his waistband, authorities said. Hawkins was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.